LOUISVILLE, Ky. (September 26, 2016) — For the sixth year, Mayor Greg Fischer and his leadership team are relocating their offices to the IdeaFestival in an effort designed to encourage breakthrough thinking.
This year, the Mayor’s temporary office will include the Louisville prototype of a “parklet” — a small public park that serves as an extension of a sidewalk over an on-street parking space. The prototype, called “The Community Table,” will be inside the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts, where Mayor Fischer’s team can interact with festival attendees. The parklet was designed and fabricated by Gresham, Smith and Partners, and Nomi Design. At the conclusion of IdeaFestival, the parklet prototype will move to outside space at The Table restaurant in Portland.
“Louisville is a city where ideas can form and grow to change the world, and moving our offices to IdeaFestival is a symbol of how Metro Government leads by example,” Mayor Fischer said. “The parklet is another innovation that festival-goers will be able to check out, and I encourage citizens to stop by to meet with my team and share their own innovative ideas.”
The Mayor’s Office staff will be working out of the Kentucky Center lobby Tuesday through Friday.
IdeaFestival brings global innovators and thinkers to Louisville for events and presentations. Tuesday’s program features Thrivals, a future-focused, innovative learning experience that sets the tone for the event each year and caters to broad thinkers of all ages, with a focus on high school and college students.
Other festival presenters and topics include:
MIT theoretical physicist Alan Lightman is the author of many books and essays on science, as well as five works of fiction. At IF, he explores how science and the humanities intersect and contribute to our understanding of the universe.
Few people have not seen the Pulitzer Prize-winning 1972 photograph of nine-year-old Kim Phuc, the victim of a napalm attack, running naked down a road in Trang Bang, Vietnam. Kim, now a Canadian citizen, comes to IF to share her story.
Cognitive scientist and philosopher Susan Schneider discusses her work for NASA that delves into the question: If we were to encounter extraterrestrial intelligence and consciousness … what might it “look” like and would we even recognize it?
Virtual reality (VR) is rapidly emerging as perhaps the next big thing in work, entertainment and medicine. Ben Kuchera, senior opinions editor at the video game and technology website Polycom.com, discusses (and demonstrates) VR and where it’s headed.
Award-winning science journalist Sonia Shah explores the history and future of pathogens, including the profound influence of global developments on future trends.
A full schedule and ticket information are available at www.ideafestival.com.
